ArdorComm Media News Network
May 22, 2026
The X account of the satirical political movement Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) has been withheld in India following a legal request, according to its founder Abhijeet Dipke.
Sharing the update on X, Mr. Dipke claimed that the CJP account, launched on May 16, was restricted within four days after rapidly gaining more than 2 lakh followers. He also alleged that attempts were made to compromise the movement’s Instagram account.
Soon after the restriction, Mr. Dipke announced the launch of a new X handle titled “Cockroach Is Back”, stating that the team would challenge the action through legal channels. Within little over an hour of its launch, the new account had already amassed nearly 16,800 followers.
The Cockroach Janata Party emerged as a satirical online movement founded by Mr. Dipke, who previously worked as a political strategist for Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party. The initiative was reportedly inspired by remarks attributed to Chief Justice Surya Kant, in which unemployed youth were allegedly referred to as “cockroaches”. The Chief Justice later clarified that his comments had been misrepresented by sections of the media.
The movement quickly gained traction online, attracting over 14.5 million followers on Instagram and overtaking the follower count of Bharatiya Janata Party on the platform.
Several related accounts carrying the “cockroach” branding continue to remain active on X, including ‘The Cockroach Youth’, ‘Cockroach News’, ‘IAmCockroach’, ‘Cockroach Party of India’ and ‘Cockroach Janata Party (Gen Z)’.
The movement also drew attention from public figures and activists, with leaders such as Mahua Moitra and Kirti Azad interacting with or expressing support for the initiative. Activists including Prashant Bhushan and Anjali Bharadwaj were also associated with the online discussions.
What began as an internet satire campaign has now evolved into a broader debate on digital dissent, protest culture and the growing influence of humour and memes in contemporary political discourse.
Source: PTI